Elevating and sighting mechanism for guns.



J. LUND.

ELEVATING AND SIGHTING MECHANISM FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1916 1,298,982. Patented 1,1919.

2 SHEE EETI.

J. Limo.

ELEVATING AND SIGHTING MECHANISM FOR-GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 1916.

Patented A111. 1, 1919.

2 SHEEfS-SHEET 2 UNITED srnrns PATENT F C JOHIN LUND, 'OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOBETHLEHEM COMPANY, OF SOUTH'BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

nnnva'rme AND srenrine -MECHANISIN1 FOR Guns.

Specification of Letters Patent. v

Application filed April 8, 1916. Serial No. 89,902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN LUND, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bethlehem, Northampton county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevating and Sighting Mechanism for Guns, of which the fo lowing is a specification.

'This invention relates to elevating and sighting mechanism for guns and it is par ticularly adapted for field guns, although usefulwith guns of other types. The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a field gun embodying the invention, portions of the gun' barrel and trail being broken away and the wheels being indicated by broken lines; and v I Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side of the gun, parts beingbroken away and part being shown in section along the middle line of the gun carriage.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates the gun mounted .on the cradle 12 provided with trunnions 11. The gun carriage comprises an axle 13 supported by wheels 14 in the usual manner. Between the wheels is a trail comprising two trail members 15 mounted on the axle, said trail members being curved inwardly and connected at their forward ends at 16. Pivotally mounted on the axle between the trailmemb'ers is a platform 17 which extends forwardly and is adjustably connected with the trail members by means of a rack 18 and wormgear 19. The platform may be raised or lowered by means of the gearing 20 and 21 and the hand wheels 22. One of the pairs of gears 21 is mounted on the transverse shaft 23- extending through both trail members and providedv on opposite ends, outside of the trail members, with the hand wheels 22. The worm 19 is mounted in suitable bearings in the forward end of the trail. It will be evident that the platform 17 may be raised or lowered by means of the hand wheels and gearing described.

Mounted on the platform 17 is a top carriage 24 in which the trunnions of the cradle have bearings. This top carriage is free to turn about a vertical axis over the axle 13 (not shown) but it is prevented from spect to the platform 17 by reason of the lip 25 which engages a groove in the plat{ Patented A r. 1 1919,

form. The cradle carries a segment gear 26 by means of which it may be elevated or depressed to give the gun the proper elevation for any given target. The segment gear is operated'by means of a handle or hand wheel 27 through bevel gears28, shaft 29, two sets of'bevel gears 30 and worm 31.

The wheel or handle 27 is mounted on an armi32of the top carriage 24 which arm carries the level 33, scale 34 and an index 35, p the latter being adjustable relatively to the and concentric with the trunnions 11; f

On the side of the gun opposite the arm 32 the top carriage-24 is provided with an.

arm '39 provided with two sights 40 and 41,

the former being an eye piece and the lattercarrying cross hairs.

In one mode of operatlon of my-improve scale 34' by means of a screw 36'. Thain-.9- dex 35-carries on its opposite side a pointer '37 adapted to cooperate with a range scale 70 38;which is fast on the. cradle of the in azimuth by devices not. shown in the,

present drawing, as the present inventionrelates solely to'elevating mechanism. The

index point 35 is then brought to normal on the scale 34 by the thumb screw 36, after which the cradle is moved on its trunnions by'means of the hand wheel 27 and connections until the range scale 38 shows the gun to have reached the proper elevation for the range of the target. If the range on firing is found incorrect the gun can be readjusted by means of the hand wheel 27 without disturbing the position of the top carriage, the adjustment of which by means of the hand wheel 22 and connections may be considered permanent for any given.

series of firings.

In another mode of operation the top oar- V riage is leveled by means of the hand wheel 22 and the level 33 which is carried on the arm 32. The index 35 is then set with re lation to the scale 34 to correspond'to the angle of the elevation of the target above or below the gun and the gun is then elevated until the pointer 37 indicates on the scale 3.8 the elevation due to the distance of the target from the gun. Having thus described the invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patport about the axle, a top carriage on said support, a gun having bearings in the top carriage and independent means for adjusting the gunangularly about said bearings, the top carriage and gun each having a' scale, and an index device'parried byone ofsaid parts and cooperating with both 7 scales, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a. gun carriage comprising an axle andsuitable wheels, a support for a top carriage suitably mounted on the axle, means for adjusting said support about the axle, a top carriage on said support, a gunhaving hearings in the top carriage and independent means for adjusting the gun, angularly about said bearings, the top carriage having a scale and adjustable index and the gun having a scale cooperating with said index, for the purpose set forth.-

3. The combination With a gun carriage comprising an-axle and suitable wheels, of a top carriage adjustable angularly about the axle, sighting devices and an elevating arm carried by said top carriage, an adjustableindex carried 'by said carriage, a gun mounted in trunnions on the top carriage, a range'scale carried by the gun and means for adjusting the gun about its trunnion axis to bring any desired point onthe range scale into coincidence with the index.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' JOHN LUND. 

